Vending machine



Feb. 6, 1934. J. W' |NG l,945;743

VENDING MACHINE Fiied March 25, 1932 5 sheets-sheet 1 ATTOF? N EY Feb.6, 1934. J, W, ,NG 1,945,743

VENDING MACHINE Filed March 25, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTOR N EY Feb. 6,1934.

J. W. ING

VENDING MACHINE Filed March 25, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 JnW-fZIM/ENTORATTORNEY Patented Feb. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE VENDING MACHINE This invention relates to vending machinesfor articles in packages such as cigarettes and the like and moreparticularly to coin control mechanisms therefor, and has for theprimary object, the provision of a device of the above stated characterwhich requires the placing therein a proper coin or coins before thedevice may be manually actuated for obtaining from the machine thedesired article.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a manually actuatedslide for delivering an article from the machine and having meansassociated therewith whereby the slide is locked against actuation untilthe coin or coins are placed within the coin openings provided therefor,so that said slide may be operated andthe coins automatically andpositively removed from the coin openings into a coin receivingcompartment, whence the slide is again locked against actuation.

A further object of this invention is the provision of means forpreventing unlocking of the slide by the use of improper coins or slugs.

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists in certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating a vending machinewitha coin. control mechanism constructed in accordance with myinvention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the lineY 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the coin slide movedinwardly and the depositing of the coin within the coin receptacle sothat on the outward movement of the slide the package or article will bedelivered.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional View illustrating the improper coin orslug being ejected.

Figure 7 is a similar View showing a proper coin ejected.

Figure 8 is a plan view showing the coin slide.

Figure 9 is a detail transverse sectional View illustrating the means ofpreventing reverse movement of the coin slide until the latter hascompleted a movement in one direction.

Longview, Tex.

1932. Serial No. 601,250

Figure 10 is a detail sectional view of the coin slide mounting.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a base of avending machine having suitably mounted thereon a housing 2 providedwith a removable coin receiving drawer orv compartment 3 normallysecured in a closed position by a suitable locking mechanism 4. Locatedabove the housing 2 is a combined display and vending rack 5 in whichare located articles in package form as shown at 6, the lowermostpackage being supported by a vending mechanism 7. The rack 5 may consistof a series of compartments operating in conjunction with the singlevending mechanism 7 by having the rack movably mounted so that a desiredcompartment may be brought into a position for operation in conjunctionwith the vending mechanism.

The top wall 8 of the housing 2 is provided with spaced guides slidablysupporting a coin slide 10 provided at one end with a bracket 11 forminga support for a hand grip 12 and providing a closure between thecompartment of the rack and the coin slide when the latter is in itsinnermost position obviating the necessity of building the rack 5 with ablind. The top wall 8 is provided with openings to permit coins from thecoin slide to enter the coin receiving compartment 3 when the coin slideis in a certain position.

A casing or bridge 13 is rigidly mounted on the housing 2 directly underthe rack 5 or the compartment thereof with the coin slide 10 movablethereunder. The top wall of the casing or bridge 13 is spaced from thelower or discharge end of the rack and the lowermost package issupported thereby. An ejector 14 is carried by the coin slide 8 in rearand above the casing 13 and includes angularly related portions 15 and16, the portion 15 being secured to the slide 10 while the portion 16 isdisposed horizontally and in a plane above the top wall of the casingand the free end thereof is provided with a depending flange 17 adaptedto abut one end of the package resting on the casing 13 to cause saidpackage to move oli the casing 13 and outwardly from the Vrack 5 whenthe coin slide is moved outwardly or intoits normal position, with thehorizontal portion 16 moving under the next package to prevent thelatter from gravitating downwardly until the slide is again movedinwardly.

The openings in the top wall of the housing 2 are of elongated formationas shown at 18 in Figure 2 and each opening has portions of differentsizes, the smallest portion being for the purpose oi allowing animproper coin or slug to gravitate from the coin plate 8 before thelocking mechanism of said coin plate is released while the largeportions of said openings permit a coin of the proper denomination topass into the coin receiving compartment after the coin has actuated thelocking mechanism of the coin slide.

Coin ejectors 19 are pivotally mounted within the casing 13 as shown at20 and each includes an arcuate shaped portion 21, one end of which isbevelled as shown at 22 for engagement with a coin carried by the coinslide 10. A projection 22 is formed on each of the coin ejectors 19adjacent the pivots 20. The coin ejectors are urged downwardly bytension means 23 so that the free ends thereof ride on the top face ofthe coin slide l0. The coin slide 10 is provided with coin receivingopenings 24 arranged in alignment with the ejectors and the coin plateis also provided with slots 25 between the outer end of the slide andthe coin openings 24 for the purpose of permitting the free ends of theejectors 19 to pass through the coin slide and also through the openings18 of the housing 2 for the purpose of ejecting coins from the openings24 at the proper time or after the coin slide has been moved inwardly.Should an attempt be made to move the coin slide inwardly withoutplacing coins within the openings 24, the ejectors will pass through thecoin openings 24 after a limited inward movement of the slide 10 andengage with the forward end walls of the openings 24 of the coin slideand thereby prevent the slide from being moved into a full inwardposition and thereby prevent the obtaining of a package from the machinewithout the payment of proper coins therefor. The movement of the slideinwardly with proper coins in the openings 24 prevents downward movementof the ejectors until the free ends thereof are aligned with the slots25 whence said ejectors may move downwardly and due to their arcuateshaped portions engaging the forward end walls of the openings 25 of thecoin slide 10 causes a positive force in a downward direction on theejectors so that the lugs 22 enter the openings 24 and force therefromcoins, should the latter fail to fall from said openings by gravitationwhen placed over the large portions of the openings 18. Due to the lugs22' being located close to the pivots 20 with the bevelled ends 22 ofthe ejectors located a considerable distance from the pivots permitsconsiderable leverage on the ejectors when extending through the slots25 and openings 18 so that the lugs will be sure to force from the coinopenings any coin that may be wedged therein.

The coin slide`10 between the coin openings 24 is provided with a seriesof rectangular shaped openings 26 and also is provided with slots 2'7and 28 arranged in alignment with the series of openings 26 and at eachend thereof. Pivot-ally mounted within the housing 13 is a dog 29adapted to ride against the top face of the coin slide 10 and inalignment with the openings 26 and slots 2'7 and 28. The dog when ridingagainst the top face of the coin slide 10 assumes an inclined positionand when brought in registration with either of the slots 27 or 28assumes a vertical position by extending through said slots. When thecoin slide 10 is in its outermost position, the dog assumes a verticalposition by extending through the slot 28 and when the slide is movedinwardly the dog moves into and out of the openings 26 and should anattempt be made to reverse the movement of the coin slide 10 beforecompleting a movement in one direction, the dog will engage one of theopenings 26 and lock the slide against reverse movement. When the slidereaches its innermost position, the dog passes through the slot 27 sothat when the slide is moved outwardly, the position of the dog isreversed and permits the slide to move outwardly for the purpose ofdelivering the package from the machine. The slots 27 and 28 providemeans for reversing the position oI the dog when the slide 8 reaches thelimit of its movement in either direction.

Suitable brackets 30 are secured within the casing 13 for pivotallysupporting the ejectors 19 and their tension means 23 while the top wallof the casing 13 may have struck therefrom depending ears 31 to whichthe dog 29 is pivoted.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be noted that a very eicient and practical coincontrol mechanism has been provided for a vending machine consisting offew parts, simple 1n construction and operation, and which when manuallyactuated by proper coins deposited therein will remove from the vendingmachine and deliver the desired package to the operator or purchaser,and that it will be fool-proof against operation by the insertion ofimproper coins or slugs.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction,combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing fromthe spirit and scope of my invention, as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A coin control mechanism comprising a housing having a coin slotincluding enlarged and restricted portions positioned over a coincompartment, a slide carried by said housing and having a coin openingto move over the slot during the movement of the slide, and a pivotallymounted coin ejectorcarried by said housing and riding on the slide toenter the coin opening and the coin slot during said movement of theslide without a coin in the opening thereof, said slide having anejector slot to receive the ejector and permit the latter to engage anend wall of the ejector slot after the passing of the ejector over acoin in the coin opening to cause the ejector to pivot and force thecoin from the coin opening through the enlarged portion of the coin slotinto the coin compartment.

2. A coin control mechanism comprising a housing having a coin slotincluding enlarged and restricted portions positioned over a coincompartment, a slide carried by said housing and having a coin openingto move over the slot during the movement of the slide, a spring pressedpivotally mounted coin ejector carried by said housing and riding on theslide to enter the coin opening and the coin slot during said movementof the slide without a coin in the opening thereof, and a projection onthe ejector, said slide having an ejector slot to receive the ejectorand permit the latter to engage an end wall of the ejector slot afterthe passing of the ejector over a coin in the coin opening to cause theejector to pivot and engage the projection with the coin for forcing thelatter from the coin opening through the enlarged portion of the coinslot into the coin compartment.

3. A coin control mechanism comprising a housing having a coin slotincluding enlarged and restricted portions positioned over a coincompartment, a slide carried by said housing and having a coin openingto move over the slot during the movementl of the slide, a springpressed pivotally mounted coin ejector carried by said housing andriding on the slide to enter the coin opening and the coin slot duringsaid movement of the slide Without a coin in the opening thereof, aprojection on the ejector, said slide having an ejector slot to receivethe ejector and permit the latter to engage an end wall of the ejectorslot after the passing of the ejector over a. coin in the coin openingto cause the ejector to pivot and engage the projection with the coinfor forcing the latter from the coin opening through the enlargedportion of the coin slot into the coin compartment, said slide havingspaced dog slots, and a series of openings between said dog slots and apivoted dog carried by the housing to enter said dog slots forpermitting reverse movements of the slide after each complete movementof the slide in either direction and to engage with the series ofopenings during the movement of the slide in either direction to preventreversing of the movement of the slide until the latter completes itsmovement in either direction.

JOHN W. ING.

